MIAMI (AP) - Peyton Manning spent the whole season building
toward a Super Bowl crown, a win that certainly would put him among
the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
And then he threw it all away.
Blocked onto his butt, Manning could only watch as Tracy Porter
returned an interception for a clinching, 74-yard touchdown in the
final minutes Sunday that gave the New Orleans Saints a 31-17
victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
"It's certainly disappointing. Very disappointed.
Disappointed," Manning said.
It was a startling end to a Super Bowl that seemed destined to
wind up in Manning's strong right hand. It was the lone turnover of
a back-and-forth thriller - who in the world would have thought the
big mistake could be made by Manning?
Yet there he was, sitting on the grass after brawny Saints
defensive end Will Smith knocked him down as he tried to make a
tackle. Manning took a glance over his shoulder to watch Porter's
romp to the end zone, unbuckled his chin strap, stood up and simply
walked toward the bench.
"We probably never got into a great rhythm. We were certainly
worse in lapses in our final possession," Manning said.
All week, this was the story line in Miami: Could Manning, a New
Orleans boy through and through, deny the Saints in a game they
desperately wanted to win for their city?
Turned out he helped his hometown team win its first Super Bowl
- only not in the way he imagined.
Dad Archie Manning, the longtime star Saints quarterback, got
caught smack in the middle.
"I was pulling for the Colts. I'm not quite over that, but I'm
happy for New Orleans," he said.
"I don't know if I'm going to celebrate or not. Maybe later,
when the city does, but I'm not in a celebrating mood. Glad to see
everybody else in New Orleans celebrate. That's enough for me
now," he said.
Added Archie: "I'm proud of him. ... It just wasn't meant to
be."
His son repeated the word "disappointing" at least 10 times in
his postgame interview session, using it to describe everything
from the Colts not having the ball much in the second quarter to
the interception that decided the title.
"We played well in the first playoff game, played well two
weeks ago. We just didn't make enough plays against the Saints,"
Manning said.
"I understand how excited the Saints are, their families and
the city of New Orleans is going to be," he said. "I'm sorry to
our fans that we weren't able to get it done."
Until Porter cut in front of receiver Reggie Wayne on the left
side, Manning seemed to be in charge. The four-time MVP did his
dance at the line of scrimmage, putting his teammates in position,
and zipped pass completions all over the field.
The Colts set an NFL record with seven fourth-quarter comebacks
this season, and surely most everyone at Sun Life Stadium thought
ol' Peyton was at it again. Down 24-17, the Colts were driving
toward a tying score until Porter sealed it with 3:12 left.
Manning had been MVP of the Colts' victory in the Super Bowl on
the very same field three years ago, and was a good bet to win the
trophy once more. Instead, the night finished the same way his
final college game at Tennessee ended - a bruising loss to
Nebraska, also on this field.
Even after Porter's pick, Manning tried to rally the Colts. He
moved them near the Saints' goal line, but a final pass to Wayne
fell incomplete.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the beneficiary of Manning's pep
talks while in college at Purdue, took a knee to run out the clock
and start New Orleans' party.
Manning left the field without seeing Brees.
"I'll certainly talk to Drew," Manning said. "There's not
much consolation for the guys that didn't win. There's the stage
being set up and the celebration."
Manning wound up 31 for 45 for 333 yards and one touchdown. He
finished one short of the Super Bowl record for completions set by
Tom Brady and tied by Brees, though the one pass he threw to the
Saints will be the one that fans remember, and it'll be the pick
that's shown on highlight films for years.
"It's kind of a play we've run a lot. Porter made a heck of
play," Manning said.
Said Porter: "It was great film study. The coaches did a great
job of preparing us for that route."
Known for their late rallies, the Colts lost by letting the
Saints outscore them 15-0 in the final 15 minutes.
As he walked from the sideline to the huddle with his head down
to start the fourth quarter, Manning suddenly found himself
surrounded by three dozen Colts cheerleaders rushing off the field
after their routine. He stopped, let them pass and kept on his way.
Early in the period, Manning made one of his few bad throws,
floating a deep ball that fell incomplete near the goal line.
Manning threw down a towel when he got to the bench.
Moments later, the giant video board showed his younger brother,
Eli, in the crowd. Eli was the MVP of the Super Bowl two years ago
as QB of the New York Giants, but there was no celebrating this
time.
Most celebrities such as Jamie Foxx, Gloria Estefan and Scottie
Pippen smiled when they showed up on the board. Not Eli. He merely
looked straight ahead, a blank stare.
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AP Sports Columnist Jim Litke contributed to this report.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
